Bed bug treatment

Bed bugs are the pest that upsets people most, and the one where doing it yourself most reliably makes things worse. Health Canada is blunt about it: bed bugs are very hard to get rid of, and it recommends hiring a licensed professional pest control operator (Health Canada, bedbugs: how do I get rid of them). Ottawa Public Health gives the same advice.

Step one: confirm before you spend anything. Look for live insects in the folds and seams of sheets, mattresses and box springs, reddish or rust-coloured staining on bedding, shed skins, and a sweet musty odour. Bites alone prove nothing, because people react very differently and other things bite. Catch a specimen in a sealed bag if you can, or photograph one, and have it identified. Treating for bed bugs you do not have is expensive and pointless.

Step two: do the preparation, properly. This is where most treatment failures begin. Launder fabrics in hot water and dry them on the hottest setting for at least 30 minutes, which kills bugs and eggs. Vacuum daily with a HEPA vacuum, using a back-and-forth scraping motion along mattress seams and crevices, then dispose of the bag sealed in white plastic and wash the attachments in hot water. Reduce clutter, which is where they hide. Follow the operator's written preparation sheet exactly, because a partially prepared home gets a partial result.

Step three: choose the treatment approach. A qualified provider can explain whether heat, physical control, registered pesticide products or a combination suits the property. Ask which items need preparation or protection, what follow-up is included, and how results will be checked.

Step four: encase and monitor. Mattress and box spring encasements trap anything remaining inside and make future inspection straightforward. Interceptor cups under bed legs both monitor and reduce climbing. Steam is useful on seams and edges, since domestic steam cleaners emit at least 100 degrees Celsius.

Step five: agree on follow-up. Ask the provider how results will be checked, when reassessment is appropriate and what further work would be recommended if signs continue. Get the follow-up plan in writing.

How long it takes. Preparation, treatment and follow-up time vary by method, the property and the extent of the infestation. Ask the provider for a property-specific schedule and what evidence will be used to assess progress.

What affects the quote. Ask the contractor to explain inspection findings, treatment options, preparation, the proposed number of visits, and what is included in a written quote. Property size, room count, clutter and adjoining units can affect scope.

Warnings worth taking seriously. Health Canada cautions against unregistered pesticides, homemade treatments and ozone generators, which are not approved and can cause respiratory problems, and advises never applying pesticides to bedding unless the label specifically permits it. Rubbing alcohol and other flammable liquids used against bed bugs have started apartment fires. Throwing out a mattress without sealing and labelling it simply passes the problem to whoever takes it.

What makes Ottawa different. Two local factors. First, the rental stock: Ottawa has a large student and government rental population with high turnover through Sandy Hill, Centretown, Vanier and Lowertown, and turnover is how bed bugs travel. Second, the by-law. Ottawa's Property Standards By-law defines an infestation as including one or more bedbugs, requires dwellings to be kept reasonably free of pests, and requires that pest control methods comply with provincial and federal law (City of Ottawa, Property Standards By-law 2013-416, section 13). That definition matters for tenants, because it sets a low threshold. Report in writing to your landlord, keep a copy, and contact City of Ottawa By-law Services if nothing is done.

Who should do the work, and the licence. In Ontario a pesticide exterminator licence is required to apply pesticides commercially on property you or your employer do not own, the class that applies here is structural extermination, and the business needs a pesticide operator licence, all regulated by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks under O. Reg. 63/09 (Ontario, pesticide licences and permits). Ask which class the technician holds. Heat treatment on its own may not involve pesticides, but almost every real programme does.

What to ask before you hire. How many visits are in the price and over what period. Heat, chemical or both, and why for my situation. Will you give me a written preparation sheet in advance. Are encasements and interceptors included. Do you inspect adjoining rooms or units. What is your guarantee, how long does it run, and what voids it. Will you confirm identification before treating.